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Mexico City marked 50 years since the opening of the 1968 Olympic Games, the first held to be held in Latin America and which is widely regarded as having inspired the Games for decades to come. The 1968 Olympic Games made waves internationally both in and out of competition. The avant-garde emblem of the 1968 logo, with modern venue designs and the use of satellite technology, made it one of the most watched sporting events of the time. On the field, athletes such as high-jumper Dick Fosbury created new athletic styles that have since become the norm. It also saw iconic moments that marked socio-economic tensions at the time. Apartheid-era South Africa was invited to compete on the understanding that segregation would be phased out.

African American sprinters did a black power salute on the podium for the medal ceremony. And in the run up to the Games, students protesting against the government in Mexico City were quelled violently by soldiers, killing hundreds of protesters and civilians.